BRITAIN: Two Algerians have been remanded in custody charged with terrorism offences relating to the al-Qaeda network, while police continue questioning 11 other men arrested in Leicester yesterday.
The post-September 11th clampdown on international terrorism moved up a gear as the two men - held in custody by the British Immigration Service since September - appeared before Leicester Magistrates charged with offences under the Terrorism Act 2000.
Mr Baghdad Meziane (37), Leicester, was charged with directing al-Qaeda, inciting an act of terrorism overseas, membership of al-Qaeda (a proscribed organisation), and four charges relating to the financing of terrorism.
Mr Brahim Benmerzouga (30), Leicester, was charged with membership of al-Qaeda, four charges relating to the financing of terrorism, possession of an article for the purposes of terrorism and racially inflammatory material (19 videos) with a view to distribution.
It is understood the two men were arrested soon after the attacks on the United States along with Mr Kamel Daoudi, also an illegal Algerian entrant into the United Kingdom, who was subsequently handed over to the French authorities investigating alleged plans for a suicide helicopter attack on the US embassy in Paris.
Wearing green and yellow prison clothes, the two men stood throughout the 30-minute hearing surrounded by four police officers, the proceedings explained to them by an interpreter. They were remanded in custody until next Thursday.
Police also confirmed that a house in north London was raided and searched, with no arrests, as part of an ongoing pan-European investigation into terrorism.
The French radio station Europe 1 said the arrests were connected to investigations into planned attacks in France by Islamic extremists. It is understood they were not directly related to the attacks on Washington and New York.
Eight of those arrested, all men believed aged between 23 and 40, were being questioned at various police stations last night under the Terrorism Act, which makes it an offence to plan or commit terrorism abroad. The other three were reportedly being held in connection with possible breaches of the Immigration Act.
A spokesman for Leicester police warned people might see disruption of their normal lifestyle over the next few days. "We hope they will bear with us and continue to show us the support we have been receiving," he said, adding: "We must stress there is no evidence to suggest any terrorist threat against Leicestershire, or that people in Leicestershire are at any greater risk.
"However, we would remind people to remain vigilant and report any suspicions to the police."
Reuters reports:
Seeking to forestall possible future attacks, US officials asked the public yesterday to help locate "suicide terrorists" shown in five video tapes recovered from an al-Qaeda house in Afghanistan.
The US Attorney General, Mr John Ashcroft, releasing the videos, said they appeared to show what he called "martyrdom messages" from would-be attackers.
"Analysis of the audio portion of these tapes conducted thus far suggests, based on statements made on the tapes, that the men may be trained and prepared to commit future suicide terrorist acts," Mr Ashcroft told a news conference.
"Because the statements on the tapes suggest future terrorist acts, specifically suicide attacks, we are asking for the public's assistance in further identifying and locating the individuals on the tapes so that additional investigation can be made," he said.
Mr Ashcroft said the five tapes were recovered from the house of Muhammad Atef, a top al-Qaeda official who the United States says was killed in November by American warplanes in Afghanistan.
Atef was a top lieutenant of Osama bin Laden, blamed by the Pentagon for the September 11th attacks which killed more than 3,000 people.
Seven members of al-Qaeda were arrested in Pakistan yesterday. Three were identified as nationals from Britain, Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan, officials said. Four others were Pakistanis.
"They confirmed they were members of al-Qaeda," a police spokesman said. - (AFP)